A high-ranking Israeli security meeting to discuss tensions with Iran amid raising the state of military readiness

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the meeting comes at a time when the security establishment is closely following developments on the Iranian scene, but it indicated that current estimates do not yet allow for certainty that the existing confrontation will expand into a direct round between Iran and Israel.

The meeting coincides with a clear increase in the level of military readiness. Israeli Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said on Sunday that Israel is going through a “tense and volatile period on all fronts,” stressing that the basic principle on which the forces are currently working is to prepare for a surprise attack. His statements came during a surprise exercise launched by the General Staff to test the ability of the senior military leadership to deal with a multi-front scenario that occurs without prior warning, such as the October 7 attack.

In the same context, the army and police announced a large exercise in the city of Eilat and its surroundings, including ground forces, aircraft, and naval vessels, while officially emphasizing that the exercise was planned in advance. However, the intensification of the exercises comes at a time characterized by escalating tension in the Gulf and the continued exchange of strikes and threats between Iran and the United States.

Israeli concerns seem particularly related to the possibility that Tehran will expand the scope of its response if American operations against it continue. Iran announced that it would respond “stronger, faster, and more destructively” to American attacks, while its military leadership warned against expanding strikes against American ships if Iranian oil tankers continued to be targeted.

For his part, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated his tone towards Tehran on Sunday evening, warning that any “miscalculation” that pushes Iran to attack Israel will be met with a severe blow, and again talking about an Israeli goal that goes beyond deterring Iran to weakening the regime itself.

Experts believe that the cabinet meeting does not necessarily mean that Israel is preparing to take an immediate decision to expand the war, but it does reveal that Tel Aviv is dealing with the American-Iranian confrontation as a crisis that can quickly move into it if Tehran decides to expand its bank of goals or hold Israel part of the responsibility for the ongoing operations. The current preparedness appears to be primarily precautionary in nature, while keeping the option of direct military intervention open if the nature of the Iranian response changes.

The most important indicator in the coming hours will not be merely the convening of the cabinet, but rather whether the meeting will end with practical changes in the instructions of the home front, or the summoning of additional forces, or the modification of the deployment of air defenses, which are measures that will constitute a clearer indication that Israel has moved from the stage of anticipation to actual preparation for the possibility of a new round with Iran.

The question remains: Will Netanyahu, who is suffering from a decline in his popularity to the bottom, undertake a military adventure to cling to the government seat by any means on the threshold of the upcoming elections next month?